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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2008
NEWS
3A
HOWARD (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
From there, Chris went on to work as an investigator for the NCAA, where he investigated schools such as Alabama and Georgia for infractions within their athletics departments. He also trained professional sports agents on the NCAA rulebook so they would know their limits.
He took a job with LSU in Fall 2003 working with NCAA compliance. His job evolved and Howard soon became one of the most important pieces to the puzzle in the athletics department at LSU. While he was in Baton Rouge, the LSU football team won the 2004 national championship.
Soon after, Kansas Athletics Director Lew Perkins contacted Chris about joining his staff at Kansas, as he had done before Chris took the job at LSU. The two chatted at the Division I athletics directors meetings in 2006.
"I just saw a lot of qualities in him as I got to know him and talk with him that I thought he could be a benefit for us," Perkins said. "He's been around a lot of major programs, he's worked for the NCAA,
he's a Kansas graduate — he's been
around athletics his whole life."
Howard had been contacted by several schools about possibly joining their athletics departments, but he knew he wanted to get back to Lawrence.
"Lew said, 'We're really trying to build football. We're trying to get big-time football, and we need Jayhawks in there to help us.' Howard said. "He pulled at the heart strings a little bit and I said, 'You know, maybe this is a good time to go back.'"
Soon after he arrived, Howard sat down and watched the game film from each of the Jayhawks' games in 2006. He realized Kansas didn't have the depth or talent that LSU had, but he saw some fundamental elements that he liked. He also noticed that the team lost four games in the last two minutes.
"The biggest thing right now is establishing a tradition and establishing a history and a track record," Howard said. "Fans are fans, and the same fans that root for KU basketball would root for football and really any KU sport, if they are winning."
"They could have been 10-2." Howard said. "They didn't know how to win close games. I started meeting the players and they asked me what the difference was from
Perkins hired Howard with
LSU to here and I said, "There's no difference. It's all here. The facilities are pretty much the same. But last year, LSU pulled out four games in the final two minutes, because they believed they could win."
Howard met regularly with coach Mark Mangino to work on ways to improve the program. He was the administrator who oversaw the completion of the $31-million Anderson Family Football Complex that was completed this summer. He also helped Qaib Talib and Anthony Collins research their draft statuses before the two decided to leave early for the NFL Draft last year.
"He has great qualities to be an athletic director," Perkins said, "No question about it."
After seeing what it took to turn LSU into a national football power, Howard said he knew the same thing could be done at Kansas.
expectations that he would eventually help turn the football team into a national power. Because the team won the Orange Bowl last year and has started this season 5-1, it appears they are on the right track.
"He's doing better than I thought, and I had such high expectations for him," Perkins said. "He's doing a great job. He's a very bright, engaging, smart, loyal employee. He works very well with the coaches, he is a great communicator with the student athletes, and he is a key player in terms of what our missions and goals are. Everybody in the department has a great deal of respect for him. He's the whole package."
Though Howard is pleased with his job, he hopes to someday become an athletics director.
Though Howard's first priority is his job, he takes time each day to check the Phillies' box score to see how his brother did. He talks to his brother four or five times a week through text and on the phone, offering him words of encouragement when he's struggling and words of praise when he's doing well.
And if Ryan and the Phillies can win one more game, Chris will put his work with the football team on hold so he can attend to some more important business.
"I told him that I've been with programs that have won national championships and it's the same thing whether you're here or at the professional level," Howard said. "You have to take it one game at a time, control what you can control, and just enjoy the journey."
"Definitely," Howard said. "I will be there for the World Series."
Howard, who grew up as a St. Louis Cardinals fan and still roots for them when they didn't play the Phillies, went straight from the football game at Iowa State last Saturday to Milwaukee to see the end of game three of the Phillies' division series against the Brewers. He stayed and saw the Phillies ditch the series the next day in game four.
Edited by Scott R. Toland
AMBLER (CONTINUED FROM 1A)
He said that once Senate received proposals from the design firm, he and Michael Gillaspie, Ashland senior and student body vice president, would bring the proposals to student focus groups to evaluate what students wanted.
David Ambler spearheaded many efforts to improve student success at the University during his 25 years as vice chancellor for student affairs, including the $17-million Student Recreation Fitness Center, which is operated by student fees.
Ambler attributed all improvements of campus programs to students who he said were committed to enhancing the University, even when they didn't personally benefit. He said his job was to help students who wanted to improve campus life with projects such as the recreation center.
"The naming of this building is not really about Dave Amber," Ambler said. "It's about the incredible dedication, loyalty and commitment that student leaders have made to the University over the years."
— Edited by Brenna Hawley